Demon Within 2: Demon Deathchase
by Fizzbit
Summary: The sequel to the Castlevania based Demon Within, Sora and D are engaged and working together, when they get a job offering from Hyrule because the goddess of Hell, Lilu has been unleashed. Disclaimer after story is finished! Chapters 1-5 up. R/R please!!
1. Chapter 1

-CHAPTER 1-  
  
Time was always against Sora. No matter how many times she would try to go with it, it always twisted into another direction. She hated the fact that she would have to live for eternity, watching her friends grow old and die while she stayed young.  
It had been 76 years since Sora had fallen in love and joined up with D, becoming his pupil at the same time. Working as a bounty hunter had its advantages, although it was a feast-or-famine job. The only one of her friends that was still alive was Kurt, but only because Sora had found a medicine made from unicorn hair that prolonged both life and youth. Clara and Eric both died three years ago, both dying in their sleep about five months apart. Not she, D, nor Kurt had heard any word from Lilith, Mazier, or even the ancient Incubus Markus and his lover Menroc. Hell, not even the little skeletal imp, Penance, had shown himself!  
D and Sora were planning to get married soon, but the problem was getting someone to marry them. Neither of them had birth certificates since D was over 600 years old, and Sora was born in a country that was in an alternate dimension. D didn't have a social security number, and therefore didn't exist as far as the government was concerned, and let's just face it: No one's married a couple that had a groom older than the United States and looked like he was in his late twenties to early thirties. Kurt was forced to give up his priesthood as soon as the church discovered his 'aging defect'. If that hadn't have happened, he would have been able to do it, minus the holy ceremony.  
They had just gotten back home from a long bounty hunt and had literally walked in the door when the phone rang. Kurt had given the phone to D, insisting that it was important since the caller had asked for 'Morian Tepes'. Only few people knew D's real name, and whoever did was considered very close to him.  
"You still haven't answered me as to why you were talking in a foreign language, D." Sora tried to ask D what the call was about as they rode horseback to where the person had said to meet.  
"She wished me to speak to her in a tongue that no one in the room would understand."  
"She?" Sora scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "What, is it an old girlfriend of yours?"  
D glanced back at her, shaking his head slowly before continuing. Sora looked at his horse and couldn't believe that D was riding the newest in transportation technology- a cyborg. A DL-4 cyborg horse was the best there was available, and acted like a real horse, with the exception of speed faster than an Arabian and unlimited endurance. Sora just stuck to a regular horse. She never got into technology.  
"Where are we supposed to meet this woman?" Again, D didn't respond. Sora sighed heavily, letting go of her horse's reins and leaning back in the saddle, let the horse, of which she had called Orion, follow D's horse.  
"Face it, Sora, D never talks whenever he's on important missions," D's parasite told her. Sora nodded. It was true. During the last mission that nearly killed both of them, D had hardly talked. Maybe this job proposition was more serious than she thought.  
She took hold of the reins and rode up next to D. "D? Hey, what's wrong? Are some old friends of yours needing help or something?"  
D glanced at her, and gave a single nod. He suddenly halted his horse, as did Sora. It took her a moment to recognize her surroundings as being under the bridge near a small stream. "Oh great. now I really expect an ambush."  
The older Dunpeal rolled his eyes as he dismounted his horse and walked to Sora, holding a hand to help her down, but she turned it down and hopped off of the saddle before checking to see none of her weapons fell off on the ride. Her sword was sheathed in its scabbard, which was fastened across her back; her dagger was secure in a secret sheath in her boot, and she had a short sword fastened to her belt. D was just content with his katana-like blade across his back. As he had once quoted to her before: If she kept up the holding of so many weapons, she would end up like Mazier; cold hearted and emotionless. He had said that before he realized that his magic book had converted his mind.  
"Where's our client?" Sora looked around as she asked that question. The typical answer from D: Silence. As soon as she sighed and leaned against Orion, she heard a woman's voice speaking in a foreign tongue that she couldn't exactly put. The accent was really weird. D responded in the same tongue, and Sora's eyes widened in disbelief, recognizing it as the language he had spoken on the phone with. The woman came out of the shadows. She was dressed in a spice orange robe, but underneath, her clothes looked like something out of Arabian Nights. She wore big pink breeches, and her top was that of possibly a gypsy belly dancer, for lack of a better description. She wore a broad choker of gold and rubies, along with matching rings that hugged her upper arms, and her bright red hair was tied up in a gold band with a giant ruby standing atop it, and she wore a ruby necklace. The tone of her skin said she was from the desert.  
"Sora, this is Nabooru," D told her, turning to face her. "She's our client."  
"Hello," Nabooru said, bowing her head to Sora. So she could speak in a language Sora could understand.  
"What seems to be the problem?" Sora asked, moving a strand of hair away from her left eye, no longer worrying about people seeing the bright scar across her eye that had been there since she was struck with a silver blade while she was an infant. Nabooru shook her head. "It is too complicated to tell you here. The place where I come from has fallen under a terrible evil that threatens your world as well as mine."  
Sora was confused; the place where she had come from? She had watched the news faithfully for the past few years -she was bored- and had heard nothing about an entire country under threat.  
Nabooru rubbed her forehead. "Forgive me, you probably have no idea as to what I'm talking about, do you? I come from a land called Hyrule. It isn't in this world, but in an alternate dimension, parallel to yours. I'm one of the nine sages there that protects Hyrule."  
"Hyrule?" Sora quirked an eyebrow, looking to D. "Didn't Menroc say that was where he was from?"  
D nodded slowly. "It's a fantasy world, but also very dangerous. I've been there before. It's magical, and unlike this world, the gods actually exist."  
Sora had made up a joke-rule: Anything D says, goes. He was rarely wrong.  
"So are we going to have to go to this Hyrule?"  
Nabooru nodded towards Sora. "I can make a portal this instant and take you there. You'll have to meet our queen first before you come to my area of the country."  
"Queen?" D asked, surprised. "Zelda's been made queen?"  
"Harkinian died a few years after your last visit. Zelda's made a huge improvement of Hyrule, don't get me wrong, but not even she could stop what just happened last week. Not even Link could."  
Sora just watched them talk back and forth; she had NO idea of what was going on. Nabooru looked at Sora once, then almost reluctantly said something to D in that foreign language. Was Sora somehow an important key in this?  
"You know," she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, "I'm helping with this mission too. I can hear any information that Nabooru has to offer as well."  
Nabooru grinned, looking at Sora, and then back at D. "I cannot see how this girl's your type."  
"I wonder that sometimes, too," Sora replied. "So. are the people in Hyrule familiar with D?"  
"Very. He came just over 90 ago, just right after a major crisis occurred. A young girl was driven crazy by all four of our major goddesses fighting over her soul. Morian killed any remaining demons that the girl had let into Hyrule and helped rebuild villages. He's been known as Hyrule's second foreign hero."  
The younger Dunpeal looked at D, who remained silent. Sora had just turned 90 years old a few years ago. That meant he had been there just before she was born.  
"Well, enough with the chit-chat. We need to get to Hyrule. It won't take long to make a portal. Oh, and bring your horses. You'll be traveling a lot," Nabooru told them. Both of them obeyed, mounting their horses as Nabooru turned around and chanted a spell for a portal.  
"Second foreign hero?" Sora asked. D shrugged. "A girl named Vanessa came a long time before I did and helped with an even bigger problem. I'm familiar with both her and their resident hero, Link."  
An orange light flashed, and Sora shielded her eyes for a moment before turning to see the portal that Nabooru made. The sage turned to both of them. "Hurry up before it closes. I won't be with you when you get to Hyrule, but head to Hyrule Castle where Queen Zelda will be expecting you. She'll tell you what's going on."  
Sora blinked in confusion, still not having digested what had happened. This woman just opened a portal, told them to go in it, didn't give any details, or a price for the bounty. This was just WEIRD. She looked to D, hoping he would say something that could clear this up, but D just looked pointedly to the portal. "Ladies first," he said, mocking her confusion and whatever fear she harbored. She'd never been to an alternate dimension.  
Scoffing at him, Sora mounted Orion, and lightly tapped her heel against his flanks. The horse nickered and walked forward into the portal. As soon as she disappeared into it, she closed her eyes, trying to keep out the nausea that came with portal travel. Her head swam, and her muscles cramped. She tried to move to clutch her gut but she couldn't. She couldn't even breathe.  
It was over in a few seconds, and Orion jumped out of the portal without hesitation, careful not to have his mistress fall off. Sora leaned forward, gasping for air and blinking uncontrollably until her vision cleared. She heard the ripping and tearing of the portal as it closed, but not hearing the DL-4 as it came through with D.  
She felt D's hand touch her shoulder, and she sat up straight, turning to face him. For a moment, Sora envied him; D had never been distraught by portals, and he looked just the same as he always did.  
Sora turned away from him and looked at where they had arrived, her eyes widening. Green fields caressed the landscape in every way, small patches of forest scattered about every few hundred yards.  
"Whoa. D, I don't think we're in Transylvania anymore." She heard D chuckle behind her, and turned to glare at him. "What? What's so funny?"  
"Nothing," he said, "Welcome to Hyrule. that's all." 


	2. Chapter 2

-CHAPTER 2-  
  
So this was where Menroc was from. Sora recalled what he had told her about Hyrule, but not even his recollections rivaled the true beauty of the place. She didn't see at all how this land could be threatened by evil.  
"Where were we supposed to go, again?" Sora asked D, not taking her eyes away from the landscape.  
"Hyrule Castle. It's just north of here. Like Nabooru said: I'm a little famous here, so we shall not receive any ill feelings from the people here."  
"Don't you get a good reputation from everywhere you go?" D fell silent after she asked that, and Sora shut up, recalling what he had told her about his childhood, how he was discriminated against, and how he had to feed off of animals to survive, but let them live, unlike Alucard who fed off of humans and killed them, saying that if they lived, they could find them and they would suffer the same fate, if not worse, than their beloved mother.  
"Sorry," she said quickly, nudging Orion in the northern direction. D rode up alongside her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright."  
Sora leaned her head over to nuzzle D's hand, then sat back up and D took hold of the DL-4's reins again. Sora looked around at the landscape, having enough time since they were going at a slow pace. "You said this place was like a fantasy land. how so?"  
"Think of any faerie-tale creature, and it's here. Faeries, witches, mermaids, and the natives are even a relative of elves. There are also demons here, however, which include more adapted and evolved vampires, ghosts, zombies, and dragons," D replied calmly.  
Adapted and evolved vampires? Sora didn't like the sound of that. D also said the gods were real. Did that include the evil gods? Duh, of course it did. "How long should it take us to get to the castle?"  
"Less than an hour," was the only response Sora got. She sighed heavily in exasperation at D's lack of information and leaned back in the saddle, letting Orion follow the DL-4. They could get there faster, Sora figured, if the horses would run, but she didn't know if D liked the idea.  
"What kind of problem do you think might force an entire kingdom to seek outside help?" Sora asked. "Must be a pretty big demon problem."  
D gave a single nod. "They could have asked others, but I doubt it. Hyrule hardly ever makes contact with outsiders unless it's to unite with other kingdoms, or if a very serious crisis occurs, but even then they don't call on that much help. It's a very private place, and hardly anyone leaves."  
"You must have helped a lot to have them ask for you."  
"I don't think so. but I have a very dear friend that lives here that may have had something to do with it."  
Sora would have asked more on the subject, but she had learned over the years not to ask too many questions. Besides, D had seemed sadly reluctant to say that last sentence. They both stayed quiet for the rest of the trip, and sure enough, in just under an hour, they came up to a market surrounding Hyrule Castle. The place seemed barren; no one was in the streets, and the windows and doors were closed. Not even a stray cat roamed the cobblestone roads.  
"Yeesh. must be pretty bad," D's left hand said aloud. Sora nodded slowly, taking Orion's reins and riding close to D. By the time they reached the castle gates, guards seemed over-posted, with two at every corner, five at each of the gates leading from the market, and at the gates that lead directly into the castle. Around the castle, a wall of guards was posted.  
D dismounted and walked up to the guard at the gate leading in the castle. "We're here to speak with the Queen. The Spirit Sage Nabooru sent us."  
The guard firmly grasped his spear, eyeing both D and Sora. "State your names."  
"I am Morian Tepes and this is my student, Sora Tonitrus. She's quite trained, you can trust her skills."  
"Sir Morian?" The guard's eyes widened in surprise, but kept his composure. "Although the guard has high respect for you under the Queen's orders, I have not received word of your permission into the castle. I'm afraid I'll have to turn you away, but I will tell Her Majesty that you-"  
"That won't be necessary."  
All three of them turned to see the green-clad man ride up to the gates, a dark-haired woman on her own steed following behind him. The man dismounted as he came up, saluting the head guard. "Vanessa and I were just heading back from the Spirit Temple with Nabooru's word. These two are allowed into the castle to speak with Zelda."  
"Yes, Sir Link," the guard said, and bowed his head to D and Sora, "Forgive my earlier actions. It's just. with the current situation and all."  
"Eh, don't worry. Just open the gates," Vanessa told him, and he did so without second thought. Link led his horse in front of D and Sora. "Morian, good to see you again."  
"Hello, Link. Vanessa," D said, nodding his head to the two. Vanessa just scoffed and kicked her horse's flanks, riding off towards the castle. Sora just stared blankly in the direction she went off in, and then looked towards D. "What's with her?"  
"Long story. You should see Zelda now." Link mounted his horse, and rode off after Vanessa. D looked towards Sora, and nudged his head in their direction. "Let's go."  
Sora nodded, following D as he rode the DL-4 to the castle, and tied up Orion while D simply put his horse on dormant mode.  
"It's amazing you've learned technology," Sora said dryly. D just glanced at her, and brushed against her arm gently with his hand, in a beckoning notion. She nodded and followed him, staying close. Two guards opened the huge, ornately carved doors for them, and D took off his fedora hat as they came in, and another guard came to lead them to where the Queen of Hyrule was, which was the huge castle library. When Sora saw her, she certainly looked like a queen, although maybe a little young. Her blonde hair was neatly tied back in a braid with a white ribbon, and she was clad in a white dress with pink trim. Even more guards were stationed in the library, especially at the windows and exits. Link and Vanessa were already there, talking to her.  
"Your Majesty," the guard that led them there interrupted. "I'm sorry, Miss, but the foreigners are here. The ones that the Sheikah Sage summoned."  
Zelda turned to them, a faint smile lighting her features. She motioned a delicately gloved hand for them to come closer. "Please, come in and have a seat. I'm sorry my husband cannot be here to see you; he's had to stay at his temple ever since this incident occurred."  
Both D and Sora turned down chairs as they were offered, preferring to stand. Vanessa eyed both of them and scoffed. "Morian looks like he hasn't changed much, but the new kid could loosen up on the sharp objects. They won't work against phantoms."  
"Then they'll be used for self-defense," Sora retorted. "And I have spiritual as well as physical shields for unearthly battles." She didn't reveal Sekhmet as her spiritual shield, but as long as the goddess possessed her, no other kind of phantom could enter her body and take over.  
"Yes, well, as far as the current situation is concerned." Zelda began, "Morian, you're familiar with our deities, yes? The goddesses?"  
D nodded. "Yes, I remember. The three heavenly ones and the one goddess that resides in Hell."  
Zelda smiled, looking down at the floor and folding her hands together. "Yes. Din, Nayru, and Farore, for your student, Miss."  
"Tonitrus. Sora Tonitrus," Sora replied.  
"Ah. Well, those three goddesses are the ones that protect Hyrule, and the ones that created it. However, the fourth goddess was once among the heavenly ones, but was banished to Hell after she tried to rule Hyrule. Her name is Lilu. I won't bother talking about her background, as it is both disturbing and lengthy, but our problem is with her.  
"Nabooru, the one who led you to Hyrule, is of a race known as Gerudos. They're humans from your world that have invaded Hyrule and live to the west in the desert. The desert is where Lilu was imprisoned, and that is why no lush forests, grass, or peaceful animals live in that region. Although the Desert Colossus was not where her prison is, the Parapa Desert is, which is further to the west. All you'll find in Parapa is a single fortress where her followers live, and a huge spot of unholy ground where no magic at all is allowed.  
"Just last week, a young Gerudo girl who was just an amateur in the ways of magic stumbled upon Parapa by accident. She came upon the place of Lilu's imprisonment. Now, she didn't use any magic, but somehow, she triggered something that fed Lilu and made her stronger. The goddess escaped and possessed the girl. We caught her just three days ago, but Lilu was no longer inside of her. We've discovered that she can pass on from one person to the other by just making physical contact. She is not in a solid form, only a phantom, but we have a feeling that she's heading for the Shadow Temple. It used to be a torture chamber that Dis, Din's twin brother, used to torment the Shadow Folk known as Sheikahs. There is also a hidden shrine to Lilu hidden there, where, should by any absurd chance, her spirit comes there, her body will be summoned. My Sheikahn attendant, Impa, is the sage of the Shadow Temple, and is guarding it fiercely right now. The other temples are safe havens from Lilu's reach, especially the ancient temples which include the Light Temple, the Myth Temple, and the Wind Temple. There is a catch, however, to Lilu getting into her shrine. That is, she must possess one who is very strong both physically and magically. They must also have some sort of tie to any dark creature. She cannot possess children, full-blooded demons or vampires, and, in some cases, cannot possess half-demons. We fear that the only way to rid anyone of Lilu's possession is to either kill them or call her soul out, but no one here in Hyrule has powers that strong. Morian, the parasite on your left hand. you said it devoured souls, right? Do you think it may be possible for it to consume Lilu?"  
D looked down at his left hand as it answered, "I don't know. I might be able to, but I highly doubt it. There ARE soul-devouring demons for stuff like this."  
"There's only one strong enough to do it though, and we haven't heard from him in 76 years," Sora murmured, referring to the incubus Markus. She turned to Zelda. "What if Lilu gets her body back? Won't she be able to be killed or re-banished back to hell then?"  
"We've thought about that," Link jutted in, "but we can't be terribly sure. You see it took all three of the goddesses to banish Lilu. Their power is inside three individuals in all of Hyrule who possess one piece of their power known as the Triforce. Zelda has the Triforce of Wisdom, and I of Courage, but Ganondorf, the one who held the Triforce of Power, died a year ago. The anniversary of his death is coming up soon where a new holder for the Triforce of Power will be chosen, but until then, we can't do anything else. It'll take all three of us to send her back."  
"In other words, we're screwed. That's why we called you," Vanessa said with a sneer. "Also, the place where Lilu escaped? It opened. We sealed it back up with magic, but if it breaks, all hell breaks loose before Lilu gets to the Shadow Temple. Literally. And there's two major problems we really wanna keep in Hell, but if Lilu gets strong enough before reaching the temple, she can summon them."  
Sora rubbed the bridge of her nose, finally accepting the chair that was offered to her. Zelda said that some half-demons were immune to Lilu, but she didn't say half-vampires. Did that put D at a risk? "Where should we go now?"  
"Nabooru will come over soon to take you to the Desert Colossus. You'll rest there before going to Parapa to see the place where Lilu escaped. The girl who she first possessed is dead, and whomever she uses to get to the Shadow Temple will be devoured by her as soon as her body is complete," Zelda replied.  
"Then, she'll break the seal that we put over the big hole in Parapa and let all of hell loose. Doesn't that sound fun?" Vanessa smiled as she spoke. Link just sighed heavily and shook his head slowly.  
The sound of footsteps running echoed through the hall leading up to the library, and soon Nabooru came through the door. "I came as fast as I could. Just had to tell Ganiox that I was bringing Sora and Morian to the desert so the Gerudos would know not to attack Morian."  
"Why would they do that?" Sora asked, blinking slowly.  
"Gerudos are a race of women, and the only man they accept is their king, who right now, is Ganiox since his father died. If I didn't tell them, Morian would be locked up the moment we get there."  
Sora's eyes widened at that, and she nodded. "O-kay then. When do we go?"  
"As soon as you're ready. Personally, late in the day and sunset are the best times to go in my opinion, because midday is too hot and at night, the desert's too cold."  
The younger Dunpeal grinned. "Hey, I grew up in a desert. I know how to survive."  
Nabooru stared blankly at Sora. "You hardly look like it."  
"The first twelve years of my life I did. But I still remember."  
D stayed silent as they talked about moving through the desert. He hated anything and everything about heat, sunlight, and anything related to them. Dunpeals all had personal weaknesses. Like his brother was weakened by water, D was weakened by too much sunlight.  
"Would you be ready to go now?" Nabooru asked them. D looked up, and reluctantly nodded. Sora nodded as well, turning to Zelda. "What should we do once we get there? I know, rest and then go to Parapa, but do we need to make any side trips?"  
"You may need to speak with the Gerudo King about the subject. I recommend it, at least," the Hylian Queen said.  
"Oh, and watch out for Leevers and Guays. They can be a pain," Vanessa warned.  
Sora glanced back at Vanessa; somehow, she reminded Sora of herself in a way. At least the smartass attitude that she had. Recalling that D said she was a warrior that had come to Hyrule from a distant land, Sora hoped she didn't have a huge grudge towards half-vampires. Surely if D was really well known, most of the people in Hyrule should know that he was a Dunpeal. They accepted him, but what about her?  
"So, what? Are you gonna open another portal or something?" Sora asked, fearing the feeling of portal travel again, but to her luck, the sage shook her head. "No. Lately, portal travel through the desert has been unsuccessful. The travel runs into sand dunes, and even a few portals have been lost in sand storms. We'll have to go on foot."  
Sora could have sworn she heard a groan of protest from D, but could have been hearing things. She herself was happy; it had been ages since she'd been in a desert. She thought it more a vacation than a sea cruise with D. She knew that D couldn't handle deserts though. he couldn't stand being in direct sunlight for too long, and the heat wouldn't help either.  
"Don't say I didn't warn you that it's a long trip. Gerudo Valley is a good journey away. Sunset's coming and it'll take until just after sunrise to get there, and the trek across the Haunted Wasteland is on foot, which takes another half a day, not counting if you stop to rest at the small shrine in the middle of it."  
"Joy. D, think you can handle it?" Sora asked, turning to him. He just stared at her, not answering.  
"He's done it before. Let's go. Lilu won't wait for us to come up with a carefully-planned strategy."  
Zelda smirked. "Unless you use the simple go in, attack, then when everyone's dead ask questions."  
"Yeah, that's me," Sora replied, winking at the Hylian queen, earning a good chuckle or two from everyone in the room, except D.  
"Good luck," Link said encouragingly. Vanessa just waved and leaned against a wall.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"Sora, you know D can't stand heat. He hates the heat. He hates the sun. He hates the desert. I don't want to end up dying slowly and painfully," the parasite whined as D grasped the reins of the DL-4. It was the only one of the horses able to take the journey through the Haunted Wasteland. Sora had to tie up Orion at the Gerudo Fortress.  
"You'd be a lot better off if you didn't wear all the dark clothing," Sora muttered, tugging on one of D's gauntlets. He hadn't talked ever since they entered Gerudo Valley, but Sora seemed perkier than usual. It was hard to believe she and D were an item with their differences rivaling their similarities. The wind carrying bits of sand didn't seem to bother Sora, yet D had to tilt his head to where his hat shielded his face, holding one rein while Sora led the DL-4 with the other.  
One thing bothered Sora about the Gerudo race. She hadn't seen any men at all. She only saw women. They all eyed D as he entered with her and Nabooru, and a few made catcalls.  
"You okay?" Sora asked him, a look of concern on her face. D glanced at her, but said nothing.  
"We're almost at the safe house. We can rest there and let Morian regain his strength," Nabooru shouted over the roaring winds. Sora nodded, and squinted through the sand, seeing the faint silhouette of the small shrine that had to have been the safe house.  
"D, we're almost there- D!!!" Sora cried as D fell limp in the saddle and fell off the DL-4. She quickly ran to him, lifting him up so the sand wouldn't bury him. "Oh, God. D!!!" 


	3. Chapter 3

-CHAPTER 3-  
  
Nabooru and Sora had to pull D all the way to the resting house; he was too big to lift and lay over the saddle of the DL-4. It was a little difficult dragging D and leading the horse at the same time, but they got there, and Nabooru held open the door in it and Sora pulled D in before Nabooru pulled the horse in.  
"D? D, come on, talk to me!" Sora said, choking back a cry. She lightly slapped his cheek, trying to get him to stay conscious. D groaned, unable to move. His breathing was heavily labored, he was sweating uncontrollably, and at the same time, shivering as if he were freezing.  
"What's happening to him?" Nabooru asked, pulling the DL-4 in and shutting the door.  
"It's called Heat Syndrome. D can't stand in the direct sunlight too long or he'll be weakened. If he doesn't find someplace to rest and bury himself, he'll fall into a coma, and then die. Like regular Vampires, only he doesn't burst into flames," Sora replied, taking off D's hat and pulling his hair away from his face and neck, trying to cool him down.  
The parasite growled. "I told you he couldn't take it, but you didn't listen! You could have at least waited until the sun was a little lower!"  
"It would have gotten too cold, and none of us would have lasted through that without protection," Sora murmured. Nabooru knelt next to D. "Will he be alright?"  
Sora shook her head. "I really don't know. He has to be in a dark, cool area in order to heal. If we leave just after sunset, will we be able to make it to the Colossus before it gets too cold?"  
Nabooru bit her bottom lip. "I think so, but we'll have to hurry. I could send you and Morian on the horse, but you'll have to follow the phantom guide. Can you ride with him and make sure he'll be alright and I can go ahead?"  
"Sure, I can do that."  
The sage nodded. "Good. My nephew is the king, and he'll help you. He knows Morian as well. We also have magic users that can help Morian heal. You can find the phantom guide on the other side of the shrine. Move quickly. He'll wait for you for a little bit, but then he'll keep going."  
Sora stroked D's hair as he rested, taking in all of Nabooru's directions. "Where should we go after Parapa?"  
"Wherever you choose. The Gerudos may enlist your help with some problems. Lilu's two most devoted followers were among the Gerudo, and we all have a feeling she'll try to resurrect both of them. I doubt it, but it could happen. After doing anything around the Spirit Temple, feel free to go anywhere you think you can help out. I should leave now and go back to Zelda. Can you handle yourself?"  
"Yeah," Sora said, never keeping her eyes off of D. "I'll leave as soon as I know D's gonna be okay."  
Nabooru creaked a smile, and patted Sora's shoulder. "Alright, kid. See ya."  
She glanced up once to see Nabooru open the door and run off. Sora then reached over and smacked D's left hand. "Hey, you still awake?"  
"Huh? What?" The grotesque human face of the parasite appeared on the palm of D's left hand. "What, are we leaving again?"  
"I need you to tell me if D's going to be able to wake up soon. We leave just before sunset. With luck we'll reach the Spirit Temple before it gets too cold."  
"Hmph." the parasite closed its eyes, then opened them again. "Hard to say. He's drifting in and out of consciousness. Just stay with him. He may not be able to concentrate with his mind, but his soul senses you near him. He doesn't want you to leave." With that, the parasite's face disappeared back into D's palm. Sora tried to smile, and bent down, kissing her fiancé's forehead. "Fight it, D. wake up. please."  
She cradled his head in her lap, stroking his face slowly.  
'Lilu's not exactly the best goddess to be messing with.' a voice in her head said. Sora narrowed her eyes. "Sekhmet, leave me alone."  
'Well, I'm just telling you the truth,' the goddess said with a scoff. 'I never really personally met the woman, with her being in another dimension and all, but hey, legends get around. Her power rivals mine, Sora. If she gets any power back, she can resurrect people that she needs. But she needs to stay in one body for a long time to call up enough power. And she has to have help from Hell in order to get it.'  
For the next few minutes Sora brooded upon Sekhmet's words. So Lilu would have to have one body for a while in order to get any power. The problem was that no one knew how long it would take, and which body she was in.  
Sora heard a groan, and her eyes widened in surprise, her attention coming back to D. His eyelids fluttered while closed, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Soon he opened his eyes slightly, looking up at Sora. She smiled. "Hey. how you feeling?"  
"Terrible."  
She choked out a laugh, happy to see he was at least alive. "Terrible enough to head out in the evening?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Nabooru's given me directions on how to get to the Desert Colossus on our own. You and I'll have to ride the DL-4 and hurry. If we leave now, we might get there before sunset, but your health comes before anything else."  
D sighed heavily, leaning back in Sora's lap. "Just give me about half an hour and we'll see."  
She nodded, knowing she'd won. Whenever this happened to D, he usually insisted they continued on once he woke up, despite Sora's feelings towards his health. Must have been the threat of intense direct sunlight that bothered him. She felt his right hand grasp hers and lightly squeeze it, followed by D saying, "Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"Staying with me." D's hand reached up and lightly brushed against her cheek. He let it drop back to his side, and closed his eyes.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
D had finally summoned enough strength well before sunset, and insisted they leave quickly. They had found the phantom guide and followed it through the wasteland to the Desert Colossus. The first thing they saw was the huge temple carved from a mountainside, a Gerudo woman carved along with the temple.  
The sun was still up when the entered the temple, and it was humid. The sun was no longer a threat to D, but the heat certainly was.  
"D, do you need to rest?" Sora asked him, but he never answered, and never stopped walking. They came up to a huge flight of stairs, and D sighed in protest. He began to move forward, but Sora grabbed his arm.  
"You're too weak to go up that. Come on, rest for a bit. Just five minutes."  
"Sora's right, D. This is the worst case of Heat Syndrome you've ever had. You need to take it easy," the parasite said, as concerned as Sora was. He didn't listen, and pulled away from Sora, slowly beginning to ascend the stairs. She watched, knowing he would fall before he even got a third of the way up. She began to follow him when sure enough, D stumbled while coming upon the tenth step. Sora managed to get to him in time and caught him, and sat down on one step to keep from falling backwards.  
She looked at his face; he had fallen unconscious again, and his body was in a cold sweat.  
"Help!" Sora called as loudly as she could. "Someone, please!"  
It took a few cries of help before two pairs of footsteps were heard running down the hall towards them. She looked up, expecting to see some guards or something, but was surprised to see two children, a boy and a girl.  
"What happened?" the girl asked, horrified when she saw D. The boy saw him and reluctantly muttered. "Men aren't allowed here."  
The girl then turned to him, giving him a cold stare. "Astyanax Dragmire, shame! How dare you not even consider the problem!"  
Astyanax, as the boy had been revealed, said nothing more, just looked towards D as the girl hurried up to him. "What happened?" she asked.  
Sora bit her bottom lip, looking at the two. They didn't look Gerudo; their ears had small points, about as pointy as her ears, and more so than D's. She contemplated her answer, thinking it wasn't really normal to say 'My fiancé is a half-vampire that nearly falls into a coma whenever he stays in hot or sunny places too long'.  
"My partner. the trek through the Haunted wasteland has made him weary. We were brought here by Nabooru to see the Gerudo King," she said, knowing a little white lie wouldn't hurt. Sora recalled Nabooru saying that the king was her nephew, and looked at Astyanax. "Are you the king?"  
"Pfft. Heck no! I'm the prince!" Astyanax turned to the girl, saying, "Kima, go get the nurses to help this man. I'll talk to Nabbie later."  
The girl nodded and ran off, taking a left turn down one of the hallways to what Sora guessed was a hospital or something.  
The Gerudo prince walked up the steps and sat near them, looking at Sora. "Who are you?"  
Sora looked away, feeling a little nervous. The boy sounded so official, despite his youthful looks. He had red hair, as dark as her own, his skin was tanned, and his eyes were a soft hazel brown. Had he been a few years older, he would have been quite attractive.  
"Sora Tonitrus. This is my fiancé, D. We were called here to help with the situation with Lilu," she responded.  
"Eh, I don't know if that was a smart idea. Lilu's too powerful. My name's Astyanax, but just call me Ax. No 'sir' or 'prince'. I hate those formal titles."  
She nodded, and heard Kima come back with two Gerudo nurses. They didn't say anything, but quickly took D and carried him to the medicine room.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Sora woke up to someone kissing her cheek, and looked up, seeing D. She remembered falling asleep in the room next to D after the nurses went to get someone, and didn't remember anything more.  
She smiled, sitting up and letting him give her a light kiss on the lips after seeing no one else in the room. Sora pulled back and put her hand over D's. "How you feeling?"  
"A lot better, actually," he admitted, completely sitting up. The nurses had just taken off his shirt, gauntlets and boots, but that was probably for the sake of cooling him off. They, along with his sword and hat, were neatly folded and put at the end of the floor mat he was laying on.  
He kissed her again, and both of them lingered on it for a little bit, but quickly pulled away when they heard the doorknob turning and the door opening.  
Ax poked his head in and grinned. "Oh, so you're still alive? Pity, we were gonna give your unconscious and vulnerable body to Lilu."  
Both of the hunters let out a light laugh at the crude joke, and Ax came in, sitting on the floor cross-legged. "The nurses called in my cousin to heal you. She's experienced in both white and black magic, and used a shadow cloud to rest you up. She said she wants to see you once you feel up to moving."  
D quirked an eyebrow suspiciously, reaching for his shirt. "And who is your cousin?"  
"The head priestess. Apparently she knew you from a long time ago. Must've been before my time. I'm 77 years old, and I've never seen you."  
'Wow. so he's not just a kid,' Sora thought to herself. Her eyes brightened and she turned to D. "Come on, we have to thank her! You might not even be with us now if it weren't for her!"  
D didn't move to get up, but pulled his shirt over his head, then putting on his gauntlets and boots, said, "I'd rather not, actually."  
"There's no excuse, actually. My father is speaking with her right now, and will take awhile. Don't be ashamed to just walk in on him. You can speak with him and thank the priestess at the same time," Ax told them casually with a shrug. "I'd tell you to speak with my mother, but if Nabbie told you guys to talk to Dad."  
"We'll settle for the king, thanks," Sora told him, standing and helping D up. Ax handed him his sword and hat and opened the door for them. "I'll lead you to him. The room might be a little dark, but my cousin's just like that."  
They both followed Ax down the sandstone hallway. It was night now, but torches in the hallway maintained some comfortable warmth. D slipped his arm around Sora's waist as they walked, and Sora sighed, happy he was alive.  
Ax came to two ornately carved doors. They had runes carved along the edges, as well as the image of the Triforce in the center. He held a finger up to gesture a 'wait here' motion, and opened a door just enough for him to squeeze in the room.  
"What's wrong?" Sora asked, noticing D seemed a little uncomfortable about going to see the priestess. He shook his head. "Nothing."  
The boy poked his head out after a few seconds, and then a hand, beckoning with a finger. "Come on in." They obeyed, D going in after Sora. The room was dark, and only four torches were in the room; two at the entrance, and two at the other end of the room, which was pretty far away. Two silhouettes were near the two torches at the end of the room, and a chill ran up Sora's spine as she saw the sitting figure turn its head, two eyes shining in the light like a cat's eyes. The standing figure was obviously a man, and the sitting one looked feminine, but the short hair made Sora wonder.  
As they came closer, Ax ran up to the masculine figure and embraced him like a child would to its father, jumping up and hanging from his neck with scrawny arms.  
Ax soon jumped down and grabbed a couple unlit torches, and held them to the lit ones, then sat them in holders on the wall as they caught flame, showing the two figures that had been in the room. The Gerudo king stood next to the priestess, whose eyes became bright at seeing D.  
"Uncle Morian, you're alright!" she exclaimed with a laugh, standing quickly and running to D, embracing him. Sora blinked a couple times in disbelief. 'Uncle?'  
D looked at her for a moment before reluctantly returning the embrace, along with saying, "Hello, Enya."  
Sora looked at both of them, then at D. "Uncle Morian?"  
D nodded slowly. "Sora, this is my niece, Enya. Enya, my fiancée."  
"Hi," Enya said, smiling, revealing a set of fangs. She extended her hand to shake Sora's, and Sora accepted it, giving a single firm shake, noticing the long black talons that took place as fingernails.  
It didn't take a genius to figure out that Enya was a demon.  
"So, what? Do you have a sister or another brother or something?" Sora asked.  
"I only have one sibling."  
She recalled Alucard saying that he had a daughter, but he never said her name, or where she was. Sora looked Enya over, seeing a few of the nobleman's features, such as the ears, nose, and calm voice, but. Enya was a Tepes? "Your father is."  
"Yup. Adrian Fahrenheits Tepes."  
"Uh.huh."  
Ax cleared his throat, and pointed up at his father. "Well, this is my dad, King Ganiox Dragmire of the Gerudo. Enjoy your visit." With that, he began to walk off, but Enya grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him back. "No way, squirt, you're staying here."  
D knelt his head for a moment in respect, and, in a mirror action, so did Sora.  
"Morian, it's been too long. Hardly anyone's forgotten you," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Enya was certainly excited when she heard you were coming here. You're lucky she knows the magic that saved you."  
The older Dunpeal nodded and turned to his niece. "And for that I thank you, Enya."  
"Yeah, well, you'll wish you had Heat Syndrome the moment you have your first Lilu encounter," Enya replied, running a hand through her hair. "She hasn't shown herself in a couple days, but we can't be too sure she's out of the Gerudo community yet."  
"That's why all the Hyrulian Temples are packed," Ax muttered. "They're the only places where Lilu can't come inside, except for the Shadow Temple, which I'm sure you've heard. Only children are allowed outside of the temples, but for a short amount of time. Everyone's paranoid that she'll kidnap a kid and kill him or her in an attempt to lure a suitable body out of a temple."  
Ganiox nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We're especially concerned about the stronger people, and even more so about magic users. Lilu's shown huge grudges towards Link and Zelda, then again, that's very obvious, with what all they've done to her followers, but she went through a small tribe just four days ago, killing everyone after they refused to tell her where myself, my sister, my wife, and Enya were."  
"Why would she want you?" Sora asked. "You're just the King of a group of humans living in Hyrule."  
"Grandma Laura," Ax said simply, interrupting his father before he could speak. Sora turned her head to look at the boy, who sat on the floor and folded his arms over his chest. Enya nodded slowly.  
"My mother's one of the worst things that's happened to Lilu before she was killed by Enya's mother, taking her down with her. It happened after Enya's grandmother claimed my father as her husband. Well, Mother and he had been married since she was sixteen, so, they didn't hit it off too well. They were both dead at the time, Lilu cast them out of Hell, and Mother survived, killing my stepmother and then a few years later, Enya's mother."  
"Problem is that Grandma, though, was evil too. She was the original heir to the Hyrulian throne. If Great-Grandpa Harkinian had died before she did, Hyrule wouldn't be this peaceful," Ax added.  
"And Lilu wants me because I'm a traitor," Enya said nonchalantly, shrugging as if it weren't important. "My Great-Grandmother all through my Mother were followers of her, especially my Grandma, who was her most devoted priestess. When I was eleven, Lilu tried to take over my soul, and the three goddesses tried to stop her. I went insane, and let's just say Hyrule wasn't in one piece after I calmed down. After that, I hated Lilu, still do, and she can bitch all she wants, but I'm a priestess to the three Golden Goddesses of Hyrule."  
Sora quirked an eyebrow, figuring out what Nabooru had said. "So, if her most devoted priestess is still in Hell, and Lilu can get her power back by getting help from magic-users down there, then she can use that woman to call back her power?"  
"You catch on quick. We've been thinking of resurrecting her and trapping her spirit in an urn, but uh. my step-aunt Naru tried that with Ax's grandmother and failed. Plus, Lilu also has my Great-Grandma, who was also a priestess of hers, and so many followers that are magic-users, it's not even funny. We get rid of one, she calls on another."  
Sora looked at D, who didn't seem to be bothered by anything in this conversation. He didn't even ask anything; either he knew all this already by his brief phone chat with Nabooru, or he was letting Sora train herself by gathering information. 'Probably a mix of both', she thought to herself. 'Or maybe he's worried and not showing it.'  
"What do we do to get to Parapa?"  
Enya lifted a hand. "I can lead you. The vampires that are still in the fortress won't come near me, so you'll be safe, and Ax is coming because he can run really fast should any of us get in trouble."  
"HEY! I hate going to Parapa Fortress! All of the people there keep staring at me and licking their chops as if they're gonna pounce and devour me the moment your eyes leave me! And they'll run faster than me! I won't be able to get-" Ax was silenced when Ganiox reached down and held a hand over his son's mouth.  
"He reminds me of a younger version of myself. Whether that's a good thing or not, I don't know," he said, sighing heavily, letting go of Ax.  
"I won't turn out like you! I'll be a good king, all right, but I won't go around marrying my COUSIN!"  
"Wha?" Sora blinked, now lost. Enya groaned in exasperation through clenched fangs. Ax grinned and turned to the two Dunpeals. "My Mom and Dad are cousins. Some Gerudo Kings practice polygamy, others marry one wife and go around with other women, others just stay single but go around, and some kings like my father practice INCEST."  
"Like it matters anyway. Almost all the Gerudos are related," Enya said dully.  
"So? Mom's not a Gerudo. She's a HYLIAN. Dad, look: Enya's my cousin, but do you see us making out in the closet? I didn't think so."  
Sora let out a laugh, amused by Ax. He had her sense of humor, although not as dark. "Come on, you know you want her."  
For once, D actually creaked a smile in humor, and then finally spoke, "I think we should rest up before doing anything further, don't you?"  
"Good idea," Sora agreed, nodding her head. "That's what Nabooru said to do anyway."  
"You'll have to share a room with some people. The temple's packed with Gerudos," Ax told her.  
Enya smiled. "My room's got a couple extra beds, and I'm alone in it except for Ax and Kima. You're welcome to stay there if you need."  
D nodded. "Alright then."  
"Kima's on guard tonight though, so we won't be seeing her. Which is a good thing, because she talks just about as much as me." Ax smiled, standing. Enya stared blankly up at her uncle. "Your hand and him will get along perfectly."  
"I resent that," the parasite said, who had been quiet the entire time.  
"D, babe? Why does Lefty talk in public in Hyrule, but not back in our world?" That question suddenly popped into Sora's mind. It was true; D had to fully trust Sora before he revealed the parasite to her. She still recalled seeing it for the first time. She had just stared at it a moment before pointing at the parasite and saying, "D, there's a talking face on your left palm," which earned her first actual laugh from D.  
"People are used to odd things here," the parasite replied.  
Ganiox let out a light chuckle. "That we are. oh, I recommend seeing the Ancient Sages after leaving here. At least the Wind Sage. Her temple is the safest ever. You not only have the strongest magic seal from Lilu, but not even that goddess can stand the winds around the temple."  
"I was planning on it," D replied with a nod. "I want to make sure she's alright. She's a very close friend of mine."  
Ax ran to the door. "Well, come on. You guys should get some rest as soon as possible. D, Morian, whatever your name is, Enya may have healed you, but you still need to rest."  
Enya creaked a slight smile at D. "He's right. I just brought you out of the Heat Syndrome stage. You need to heal yourself the rest of the way."  
Knowing there was no way out of it, D nodded, and headed for the door, stopping briefly to say thank you to Ganiox for his time. Sora followed him, and Enya led them to her room.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Enya and Ax were asleep, at least Sora thought so. She herself couldn't sleep, and D was just sitting there, unable to sleep as well.  
She crawled over to his floor cot and sat next to him, allowing him to wrap his cape around her, and resting her head on his shoulder. "You should try to sleep," he told her, but Sora just shrugged. "Can't."  
Looking over at Enya, Sora narrowed her eyes, puzzled. "You never told me about her."  
"I figured Adrian would have. If he hadn't, then he probably wished for you not to know. I came to Hyrule around a year after her soul was released, and Adrian had already left," he replied in a whisper as to not wake Enya or Ax.  
Sora sighed, shaking her head. "I don't believe she's a Tepes."  
"Why not?"  
She pulled back, glaring at D, a playful lecture look on her face. "How can THAT be a Tepes?! The Tepes are dull! Boring! Enigmatic! Dark!" she paused. ".Like you!"  
D allowed himself a chuckle. "She's nothing like her mother either. I've heard stories, and personally, I don't see what Adrian saw in her. Enya was still in the womb when Galatea tried to kill her mother, envious that Adrian had fallen in love."  
"Galatea? Markus's old girlfriend who Alucard killed twice? Jeez, I knew she got ticked when any of her old lovers showed more affection to other women than they did to her, but I didn't think she'd go as far as to kill."  
"She's an evil Succubus. And yes, she has gone that far. Markus felt he failed himself when she went evil, but he's managed to pull together a small group of Incubi and Succubi that are on the side of good and only kill when necessary."  
Sora shivered and huddled closer to D. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes when she realized he had fallen asleep, his back leaning against the wall and his fedora covering his face. She tried to sleep as well, but still couldn't. After a little bit, she was just content to close her eyes when she heard something move, and didn't move as she realized Enya was getting up. She pretended to be asleep until the demon left the room, and then gently moved D's arm off of her, stood, and followed. Sure, Enya was a priestess for the good goddesses, but Sora had a sneaking suspicion that Enya might be a spy of Lilu, just because of her family heritage.  
'You're paranoid', Sekhmet told her, but Sora just ignored the goddess.  
Enya had left the Spirit Temple, a cloak drawn about her to keep out the cold desert air. Sora silently followed her tracks, careful not to slide on the dunes. She had ventured just beyond the boundary of the Desert Colossus, and the ominous air told Sora she was near Parapa Desert. For reassurance, she put her hand on the hilt of her sword.  
The priestess stopped at a cave, and Sora ducked behind a mound of sand as Enya looked around to see if anyone was there. She was lucky she was downwind, because Enya had also sniffed the air for scents. After deciding no one was there, she entered the cave. Sora waited a couple of seconds, recalling that D had said always to wait a few seconds if anything suspicious went somewhere out of your sight, because they could always come back as you started following them. It was a trap seldom used, but Enya seemed intelligent enough to do it.  
When she didn't come back, Sora slowly slid down the sand dune to the cave, flattening herself against the wall as she entered it, poking her head out just enough to see down into it, but saw nothing.  
She knew she had to use her vampire powers now to see in the dark; demon things usually involved no light. Keeping close to the wall and watching out for movements in the shadows, Sora finally saw a single torch that Enya had set up.  
Getting closer, Sora saw Enya kneeling, her head bowed in heavy respect. Nothing was in front of her, but as Sora drew even closer, she saw the statue of what looked like a dragon. Enya was praying in a language Sora didn't understand, and she didn't pay attention as her foot stepped on a piece of gravel and accidentally let a little slip out, the light hiss of it drawing Enya's attention. She turned around, her eyes suddenly glowing red, and fangs bared, but she immediately calmed when she saw Sora.  
"I. I'm sorry, you startled me," she said, heavy emotion evident in her voice. She covered her face with her hand in shame, and she resumed praying.  
"What are you doing?" Sora asked. Enya stopped, not turning to face the Dunpeal. She reached out and touched the stone statue.  
"Just visiting a dead family member."  
Sora blinked twice, not understanding. She looked at the statue, and by just seeing the fine detail, from the texture of the dragon's scales to the twisted, agonizing face of death that was on it, saw that this dragon was once alive, and magic had turned it to stone after it died. "Who is it?"  
"My mother."  
Now, Sora was getting wigged out. Did she just hear Enya say 'Mother' or did the cold desert wind make her hear things? For one, it looked nothing like Enya, and for another, didn't look like anything Alucard would have been interested in.  
"You're confused. it's understandable. This is just the form she died in. she was really a demon vampire."  
"I knew it. So you are a demon-"  
Enya turned to glare at her. "I'm half demon. I know my father is half human and half vampire, and my mother a full demon, but it's been established that I'm half demon. You probably think I'm a follower of Lilu, just studying Din, Nayru, and Farore to find weaknesses in their power that Lilu could take advantages. Well, it's quite the opposite."  
"Sorry." Sora grimaced at the tone Enya used. She came to the conclusion now that Enya certainly was Al's daughter. Enya could suddenly turn serious at any moment, and from the looks of it, she hated who she was. She looked at the statue. "But your mother worshipped Lilu. wouldn't she hate you for worshipping the other goddesses?"  
"I wouldn't know. I never knew her. She died while I was less than a year old. you're a Dunpeal like Uncle Morian and Father, too. did your parents hate you because you weren't their race? Or did you go against their religion and study something else?"  
Sora fell silent, looking down at the ground and squeezing her eyes shut. After a moment she said, "I was taken away from both of my parents when I wasn't even a week old. You at least know who both your parents are. I don't know any of them, or what they look like. I got this scar before I was taken away," she pulled back the curtain of red hair that fell over her left eye, revealing the scar. "I've just given up hope on finding them. They're dead."  
Enya smiled. "Hey, you don't know that. Have you ever met my father?"  
"Yeah, he's a real cool guy. D and him didn't really get along."  
"Well, Father told me that you should never give up. We all choose our own fates, is what he said he tells almost everyone. If you're with Uncle Morian, then he's probably taught you the same thing. Have you ever given up on him?"  
Sora just shook her head.  
"And if you've never seen your folks, you have no proof that they're alive or dead. You could find them one day. You should still love them even if they hate you," Enya said, nudging her head to the stone figure of her mother. Sora nodded, knowing she was right.  
The priestess stood and walked over to Sora, grabbing her chin and tilting her head until she could get a full view of the scar. Sora didn't flinch, seeing those deadly talons hardly an inch away from her skin.  
"Only silver can scar a Dunpeal, vampire, or even a demon for life, and scars such as that usually grow with their owner."  
"Yeah, it does."  
Enya nodded, as if to say, "I thought so."  
"Hyrule blacksmiths can make silver daggers that can scar like that."  
"I don't think I'm from Hyrule, Enya."  
Enya took a step back and looked Sora over, especially at her ears and face. "Well, your ears are unusually pointed for a Dunpeal. They're more pointed than Morian's, at least. If I were to look at you, and, say for instance, you were from Hyrule. your build is Sheikahn. If you see one, you'll know."  
"What exactly is a Sheikah, anyway?"  
Enya shrugged, letting go of Sora's chin and folding her arms over her chest. "Basically a Hylian, only way more skilled in magic arts, their bodies are built for agility, and they're excellent warriors."  
"Perfect body Lilu's looking for?"  
"You got it. They're even able to go into the Shadow Temple for her. Sheikahs are known as the Shadow Folk, and have a heavy connection with the darker side of Hyrule."  
Sora sighed, once again glancing at Enya's Mother. "Would Lilu try to resurrect her?"  
"Huh?" Enya turned to look at the statue, and slowly nodded. "I've been spending more time here, guarding the tomb. In Lilu's current state, unless she's used my grandmother's power, she can't possibly get past me."  
"Don't you want to see your mother though?"  
"You ask a lot of questions, you know that?" Enya let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, sure. I mean, what child wouldn't? But. I'd rather meet her under more. peaceful circumstances. Plus, she's evil. I'm content to just seeing her in my dreams."  
They both stayed silent for a few more minutes. Sora envied Enya. At least she could see her mom whenever she wanted, and knew who her father was. Sora didn't even have a memory. Enya cleared her throat. "We should get back. Ax usually wakes up in the middle of the night and he gets worried if I'm not there, and I'm sure he'll wake up Uncle Morian, and he'll worry about you."  
"Yeah, good idea. Hey, sorry about snooping. You were right; I thought you were a follower of Lilu passing yourself off as a peaceful priestess."  
"It's alright. Not the first time it's happened, believe me."  
Sora let out a laugh, and followed Enya's lead as they walked out of the cave.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"I still can't believe Dad's letting you make me go."  
Everyone ignored Ax as he whined about going. Enya had managed to get Ganiox into lending a couple horses for Sora and Ax. Enya already had hers saddled, and of course the DL-4 just had to be booted up. A bunch of little Gerudos had gathered around D as he pulled out the DL-4, wondering how a horse could be made of metal without the armor that some warriors used. He just told them it was a special horse, for lack of a better definition.  
Sora couldn't help but smile as D acted the way he did around kids. They both hoped they could have a child someday, but the serum that she took to control Sekhmet made her sterile for a week at a time, and Sora doubted that Sekhmet would contain herself long enough for Sora to conceive and give birth, although she had talked to the goddess about it.  
"Okay, some pointers before we head out," Enya began, "Morian, you don't have to worry about Heat Syndrome there. There's always a dark cloud over Parapa, and it's cool, but not cold. Well, until night falls there. After that, just pray that you don't collapse of hypothermia and some demon comes and picks off of ya. Second, the demons in the fortress there are scared to death of me because I kill any of them that come near Colossus, which they have to go through to get to Hyrule, so stick with me and you'll be safe. Third, and most important: Do NOT fall into the pit that Lilu used to get out. True, there is a magic seal to keep spirits in Hell, but that seal is a one-way street. If you fall in, you won't get out, and it's a long drop. Oh, and we don't know if Lilu's staying at the fortress in Parapa or has already gotten into Hyrule. She shouldn't be a problem if she's there because there aren't any shrines in Parapa that she can use to call forth her energy, but if she has a group of vampires with her, RUN. Any questions?"  
"Can I stay home?" Ax said, in both humor and pleading. Enya smirked. "No." The prince grumbled and mounted his horse. Enya looked at Sora and D to see if they had any questions, and they just shook their heads.  
They headed out, Sora and D staying close to each other as well as Enya. The priestess turned in her saddle to face them. "Oh, and on the way back, we have to stop by my mother's tomb. If Lilu's anywhere in Gerudo Territory, she'll take advantage of my absence."  
"Oh, come on, Enya!" Ax grinned. "I'm sure everyone wants Lamia Carna back!"  
Enya just reached over and lightly smacked the boy upside his head for the joke.  
Sora shook her head in mock disgust. "Are you sure you're related to that girl, D?"  
He just glanced at her, not saying anything, but he shrugged, and kicked the DL-4's flanks as Enya sped up. Sora did the same, catching up with them. In the distance to the side of her, she could see the cave that Lamia was in, and figured they had sped up because the fortress was still a distance away.  
At the speed they were going, they approached the fortress in about half an hour, and Enya told them not to leave their horses, because the vampires picked off of anything and everything. This place gave everyone the creeps. The fortress was made of black mud brick, and yellow eyes glared at all of them from windows. Sora could have sworn she heard a growl, but didn't announce it.  
The eyes disappeared when they saw Enya. She had brought along her sword just in case, and Ax said he knew magic. Sora could just let Sekhmet take over and attack anything that came near them, but that might be a bad idea.  
"Ever felt more unwelcome someplace?" D asked, looking at Sora. She shrugged. "I don't know."  
She didn't pay attention, and didn't know what was going on until she felt the huge magic presence that made her head throb. She looked up, feeling a dark presence as well, and saw the huge pit in the desert sand.  
Enya stopped about ten feet away from it, and unsheathed her sword, the blade made of black iron, and tested the ground. She turned to D and Sora. "Use your swords as guides. The sand could fall out from under you and make you fall in."  
That made both of them immediately unsheathe their swords, and Sora poked the sand with hers before stepping where it was, as if they were surrounded by quicksand pits. In a way, they were, but not moving wouldn't save them.  
Sora stopped about five feet away from the mouth of the pit. She let out a low whistle. "Now that's a hole."  
Ax lit a small fireball in his hand and tossed it into the pit. A ripple of blue showed as it passed the magic seal and fell. They all leaned over enough to see it fall until it went out of sight.  
"See? Hellfire," Ax said, a grin crossing his face. They all laughed, D just letting out a chuckle.  
"So uh. Lilu must be one pretty damn big goddess to have made this hole," Sora noted, looking at the size, which was more than likely a good 100-foot diameter.  
D shook his head. "It's like a crater. The hole is bigger than the actual thing that made it. We also have to remember that magic opened this hole, and her spirit escaped, not her actual form."  
"Will she be able to break this magic seal before she gets her body?" Sora asked.  
Enya shrugged. "In all likelihood, yes, but she'll need a ton of magic. I think she'd prefer to get her body back first. All nine sages of Hyrule made this seal. You try to find a spell that can break a seal made of light, forest, fire, water, shadow, spirit, destiny, wind, and myth without using extreme amounts of magic. I dare you to."  
Sora nodded. "Alright then."  
"Spells like that are possible." D said, "they just take about a year to prepare."  
'Yeah, and that's only if you have a ton of mental control,' Sora added silently.  
"So," Sora said, a smirk crossing her face. "How much ya wanna bet those helpers of Lilu's down there heard ya just now, D?"  
D shook his head in disgust.  
Enya grinned and looked down into the pit. "Hi, Mom!!!"  
Ax and Sora laughed as Enya walked back to her horse and mounted it. "We need to head back. If we don't now, the sun will be too high in Colossus for Uncle Morian."  
"Why don't you go on ahead with D, Enya?" Sora suggested. "Ax and I can check out the cave and make sure your Mom's alright."  
"Huh, wha?" Ax blinked, turning to Sora as he heard his name. "What about me?"  
Enya nodded. "Alright. Ax, stay with Sora. I'll meet you two back at the Spirit Temple."  
"Hey! I hate checking out your Mom's tomb! Lamia's just. weird! Even in death, it's like she hates me because I'm Laura's grandson."  
"Wanna find out?" a cruel smirk crossed Enya's face as she said that, nudging her head to the pit. Ax gulped, and ran to his horse, quickly mounting it. "Uh. No, thanks."  
D and Sora mounted their horses as well, and they left. Enya stayed with them just until they got to the outskirts of Parapa, to keep them safe, and she and D went ahead.  
Sora and Ax rode to the cave, and dismounted. As Sora started to go in, she turned around. "You coming, Ax?"  
Ax shuddered, leaning against the mouth. "No thanks. I'll just keep watch; I'm more powerful than ya think. My grandmother controlled the element of fire, y'know. It's confusing, I know. Having one grandmother that was intent on destroying Hyrule and the other the only sister she didn't kill. I never see Grandma Zelda that much anymore, though. gotta learn stupid Gerudo politics for when I'm king. hey, be careful in there, okay?"  
Sora nodded. "I won't take long." She unsheathed her sword and walked in.  
She passed through a weird magical barrier about thirty feet into the cave. Sora just figured Enya erected it to keep any evil spirits inside the cave if Lilu did get in.  
Forgetting to use her vampiric powers to see in the dark, Sora ran right into Carna's body. She reeled back, rubbing her face where she hit the cold stone. That was weird. Sora could have sworn that the statue was farther into the cave. oh well.  
Sora looked around the statue, and decided nothing was wrong. She turned to leave, but when she came to where the barrier was, she ran right into it, and didn't pass through it. Sora blinked in confusion, and smacked the barrier with a balled fist.  
"Ax?" she called out, but no reply. "Hey, Ax!"  
A couple seconds later, she got her answer. She heard the sound of stone rumbling, and ran back to Lamia's body to make sure everything was okay. It seemed all right at first, but then the stone began to crumble. Sora's eyes widened in disbelief and horror. "Oh no. Enya's gonna kill me."  
The statue practically collapsed, but something- no, someone- was in the stone debris. It was a woman, with red hair, and Enya's height. Sora couldn't figure out if her hair was short, or long and just pulled in front of her shoulder, because her back was turned to her.  
".Enya?" Sora asked cautiously, the hand on the hilt of her sword.  
The woman turned around, and two glowing yellow eyes rested on Sora. Her lips drew back in a snarl, revealing a mouth full of demonic fangs. She pushed her long red hair behind her shoulder, and glared at the Dunpeal.  
".You wish." 


	4. Chapter 4

-CHAPTER 4-  
  
'All right, Sora. don't panic. yeah, right. You're stuck in a cave with a vampire that can tear you to shreds as if you were the morning paper.' Sora thought to herself as Lamia Carna slowly began to advance on her. She swallowed, her breathing becoming shaky. How the hell did this happen? If that magic barrier had been used to keep anything in, then wouldn't Lilu still be here?  
Fear was plastered on Sora's face. She backed up a couple of steps, then flat out turned and ran back to the barrier, pounding on it. "AX! AX, HELP ME!"  
She heard Lamia roar, followed by running footsteps as she charged at her. Sora unsheathed her sword and ducked as the demon pounced, a swiping hand narrowly missing her face. Rolling out of the way, Sora kicked, swiping her foot under Lamia, tripping her. She was about to pull out a dagger and throw it down into Lamia's chest, but she back-flipped back onto her feet and punched Sora in her jaw.  
'Sekhmet, you can help any time, you know that!' Sora mentally ordered her own personal demon, but inside her head, Sekhmet just laughed. 'Sorry, kid, this is too fun to watch!'  
'You bitch!' Sora cursed her, jumping and kicking off of the wall to tackle Lamia, her hands wrapping easily around her throat as she was caught off-guard, but Lamia rolled back, kicking Sora behind her. The Dunpeal cursed creatively as she landed, still recovering from the kick of Lamia's metal boot, and looked down at her forearms, which blood was streaming down the long wounds from the demon vampire's talons as she grabbed her to throw her back.  
She managed to turn around and swing her sword at Lamia as she ran at her, making a huge gash in her bicep. Lamia roared, instinctively pressing a hand to the wound, then growled, using her free hand to backhand Sora as she attempted to get up. The force of the blow threw Sora into the cave wall, and she cried out as she heard her own skull smack against the stone. She looked back at Lamia wearily, and blinked in disbelief, seeing Lamia's eyes briefly flash blue. ice blue. they then quickly turned yellow again. Sora ducked when Lamia struck talons-first at Sora, her hand then crashing into the stone. She roared, and swore as she flexed her fingers to make sure nothing was broken.  
Taking that chance, Sora grabbed Lamia and flipped her around, decking her as she pinned her to the wall, and ran her dagger through the monster's shoulder clear to the stone to make sure she didn't go anywhere, then Sora's sword struck home, narrowly missing Lamia's dark heart.  
"All right. I suggest you don't move, because that sword will cut your heart if you so much as try to pull out the dagger. Why. are you back?" Sora demanded, stepping back to rub the crick out of her neck from the blows.  
Lamia just looked at Sora, and then smirked. The smirk grew into a grin, and Lamia started to laugh. Sora stared at her in disbelief. ".Your shoulder and chest are impaled, and all you can do is laugh?"  
She dulled it down to a soft chuckle, and blew a strand of hair out of her cat-like eyes. "I can't believe you're still this gullible. I thought you knew better, Sora."  
"Huh?" Did she miss something, or did Lamia just call her by her name, and make a reference that they had known each other before?  
"Take the dagger and sword out so I can explain."  
Wait. Sora remembered. The eyes. the change in Lamia's eyes for that split second. She grinned inwardly, and pulled out the dagger first, then the sword.  
"Thank you. now- GAH! DAMMIT!" Lamia shouted as Sora suddenly back- handed/decked her. She fell to the floor, grabbing her face with one hand, and her shoulder with the other. "What the hell was that for?!"  
Sora folded her arms over her chest, glaring down at Lamia. "Markus, you asshole! Why the hell did you do that? You nearly killed me!"  
Lamia blinked a couple times in disbelief, her jaw dropped. She spoke, but her voice had changed, sounding a bit deeper and masculine, with a heavenly timbre. "Oh my God, it has a brain."  
The Dunpeal made no move as Lamia changed; first her eyes changed back to that ice blue, then her slightly tanned skin paled, her hair turned from dark red to stark white, with a wild cowlick over the right eye, and her figure turned masculine, her clothes, height, and two silver wings with white talons at the joint sprouted from her back.  
Markus the Incubus stood, looking at Sora. "I thought you'd be someone else."  
"But you attacked me anyway?"  
"Figured I might as well."  
Sora watched as Markus's wounds healed quickly; he wouldn't need any medical attention. She looked towards where the statue was, but was confused to find no debris. "What the."  
"It was an illusion. The real Lamia is still down in the cave, unharmed. And the barrier is gone too," he said. "What are you doing in Hyrule?"  
"I should be asking you the same thing."  
"Ladies first," the demon said coyly.  
'Still a flirt.' Sora thought to herself, before saying, "D and I were hired. I suppose you've heard about Lilu escaping. That's what we were here for, and if you wanna know why I'm in the desert, it's for investigation purposes."  
Markus shook his head slowly. "I never really got into detective work. I just find things out on my own. Anyway, yes, I did hear about it. So, Menroc and I came back."  
"Where is Menroc, anyway? I thought you guys never split up."  
"It's daylight, remember? He's taken shelter at an inn in a village."  
Sora nodded, then walked back to where the barrier was. "If this isn't down, I'm gonna- OW!" she shouted as she ran into it. Markus laughed, then snapped his fingers, the barrier disappearing. "Sorry, couldn't resist."  
Muttering a curse under her breath, Sora reached her hand out to make sure he brought it down. She came back to Markus, grabbing him by the collar of his sleeveless jacket and pulling him with her. "You're coming. I gotta tell D you're here."  
"I thought D was weakened by sunlight. Why the hell would he be in a desert?" the Incubus asked as Sora dragged him with her. She didn't reply.  
Ax was still waiting when Sora came back, and yelped when he saw Markus. "Whoa, who's this guy? Is it Lilu?"  
"No, but he's someone who can really help with the problem," she replied, "His name's Markus. Let's just get back to the temple. Mark, can you fly there? I don't wanna share a horse with you."  
"Oh, I love you too," he muttered, flexing his wings. "Yeah, fine. whatever."  
There wasn't any wind, so Markus wouldn't have to worry about getting thrown about while he flew, and Sora and Ax went off first to guide him. Man, would Enya have a fit when she heard about Markus's joke.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
They found Enya and D in Enya's priestess chamber, where Enya was treating D for a very mild case of Heat Syndrome that he had received on the way back. D had a questioning and confused look on his face when he saw Markus come in with them, and Enya reacted the same way Ax had, wondering if it was Lilu.  
"Uh. no, it's not. old friend of D's and mine. His name's Markus and he's an Incubus," Sora said, not really putting that much into the introduction, as if Markus were just an acquaintance.  
Enya's eyes widened at the mention of his name, and before anyone knew it, Markus was pinned up against a wall, Enya's talons at his throat, and her sword at his chest. Markus said nothing aloud, but inside, he was saying, "Aw man, not again!"  
"Whoa, Enya, what the hell is this about?" Sora asked, freaked out by the priestess's sudden action.  
"This bastard nearly killed my mother when she was carrying me!" Enya said, not really talking to anyone in particular. Her eyes were fixed on Markus's every move. He was lucky he flattened his wings against the wall or else they'd be broken.  
"Whoa, hey! I did not!" Markus exclaimed. "That was Galatea and our soul-son, Art!"  
"Yeah, right."  
Markus growled, managing to lift a foot and kick Enya back without hurting her. He flexed his wings a couple of times to make sure nothing was damaged before continuing to speak. "I'm serious! Galatea kidnapped Lamia and was going to kill her. I was the one that freed her before that happened! I couldn't stand to see anyone, not even your oh-so-kind-note-the- sarcasm mother!"  
"So is that why Al had a grudge against you? He thought you were going to kill Lamia too?" Sora asked. Markus nodded. "I hate the way Gally used to torture people the way she did."  
Meanwhile, D, who had just watched the entire ordeal silently along with Ax, stood, using the wall for support, as the Heat Syndrome medicine had made him weary. "Enya, he's right. Your father admitted the faults in his actions when he accused Markus. I know him. He's an Incubus, but he's of the good ones of his race. He's the first of his kind, Succubi and Incubi alike. He only kills when necessary, and your Mother was innocent at the time. She hadn't done anything but taken your father's heart, and she couldn't fight or do anything to get away because she was carrying you."  
Enya looked towards her uncle shortly after he spoke, and then at Markus. "Sorry, then, but you'll have to earn my trust. I don't cope well with those whose reputations have been burned into my heart."  
"A reputation as a do-gooder turns down your trust?" Markus asked, the sound of an accusation hanging from the tone of his voice. "Just because I loved Galatea makes you believe I assisted in the kidnapping and near-killing of your mother?"  
She didn't reply, and looked towards Sora. "What happened to your arms?" she asked, noting the talon scratches that Markus had given her while they were in the cave. They obviously hadn't healed yet.  
Markus gave Sora a look that practically screamed, "Don't tell her! She'll kill me! I know she will!" For once, Sora knew he was right. Enya was really mad at him, and if she found out that he was in her mother's tomb, Markus better hope he could use his Incubus powers quickly enough to save his life.  
"Uh. slipped and fell in your mother's cave. My arms hit some jagged rocks and got cut. That's all, no big deal." Sora then winked at Ax, signaling him not to tell on Markus. The boy winked back and nodded.  
Enya had a suspicious look on her face as she looked at the wounds, but didn't let on. "You sure?"  
"Yeah."  
The half-demon sighed, and walked to the door. "I'll be right back; I have to ask Ganiox something."  
She walked out, but not without giving one last cold stare at Markus before doing so. Ax scoffed. "Man, she must really hate you."  
Sora walked over to D and put an arm around him for support. It was one thing to be asleep and take the treatment; it was another to be awake. D groaned lightly when he moved, and tried to not put all of his weight on Sora. "We leave in a couple of hours. Enya said Lilu will probably head for a village, so we're going to Kakariko, then the Sheikah Village. We'll visit another place along the way."  
She nodded, easing him to the ground to sit. "Alright. Take it easy until then, okay? Get a quick catnap or something. Hey, Mark?"  
"Mm?" Markus's head turned when Sora addressed him.  
"You wanna come with us? You helped us with the Belmont incident, and we both thank you for that, but the only people we know of that can possibly kill Lilu without too much difficulty are D's left hand, and you."  
"Well." Markus pondered for a moment. He and Menroc had returned to Hyrule because of that incident, but Markus didn't know how well Menroc would take it if he heard that Markus was helping them. "I'll help you up to Kakariko. After that, I have to see if Menroc won't mind."  
"Okay. What about you, Ax?"  
Ax shrugged, sitting down and crossing his legs. "Sure, why not? Enya's probably gonna make me go anyway."  
A smile crept onto Sora's lips, and she looked at the Incubus and the young Gerudo Prince. "Well. welcome to the team." 


	5. Chapter 5

-CHAPTER 5-  
  
Kakariko Village had been happy to see D, but became a little cautious when they saw Enya and Ax. Markus wasn't really a problem. then again, all the girls giggled and turned away with a blush tinting their cheeks when they saw the super-sexy man. Markus had changed forms to where he still looked the same, minus the wings. It was his preferred look in public.  
When they passed the Kakariko Inn, Markus had to leave the group, saying he'd be back by sundown; he was insisting that he check up on Menroc. It didn't take any time at all to notice which room Menroc was staying in; the windows were shut firmly, dark curtains securely put over them to keep out the sunlight.  
They didn't stay in Kakariko. Enya and Ax went to the Shadow Temple to help the sage there, a Sheikah woman named Impa that attended to the queen, secure the temple from any attacks. Sora and D's sights were set on the Wind Temple, which was situated in Northern Hyrule, near Death Mountain, on the opposite side that Kakariko was on, about a mile or two away from the Sheikah Village on a separate road, which was littered and difficult to take because of the debris of Death Mountain that the winds had blown down. Hiking up the fallen rubble, D helped Sora along the way, always staying behind her in case she fell back.  
The Wind Temple looked like an ancient ruin. Fallen marble pillars along with the sections they had held up scattered the landscape. True, what was left of it was certainly worth bragging about, with at least five stories easily supported by a still-strong foundation, with a balcony in the high tower.  
"No one could find the courage to come here," D told her with a heavy sigh, "This place. some say it's haunted. It's stood for far longer than I've been around, and somehow, I can't seem to blame anyone."  
But it was sacred. How could anyone, under a crisis like this, be afraid to come here? The place was falling apart, true, but Sora saw a. peaceful aura about it. Like a home she had never had.  
Wind was tossing both D and Sora's hair and any loose clothing, and D had to take off his fedora. They had left the DL-4 and Orion back in Kakariko, as any horse would be thrown about by the winds if they got too close to the temple.  
Sora clung to D as they got closer, using his body to block the wind. Both of his arms were around her tightly but gently. Had they not been in these kinds of conditions, it would have been romantic.  
After making some well-footed steps based on timing of the winds, they finally reached the door to the temple. D pounded on it, still keeping one arm around his fiancée. Sora helped him, shouting pleading requests for someone to open the door, although the howling wind kept her from even hearing herself. She moved her head to keep D's hair out of her face, and was suddenly swept forward by D as the door opened.  
The howls were still audible, but not so much. The Dunpeals' hair was in tangles and their pale cheeks were tinted pink from the cold wind. Sora looked back at the door, seeing that it had been opened by magic, and was closing the same way. She collapsed to the ground, her legs weak from fighting the winds. D knelt next to her, gathering her in his arms to help her sit up. "Are you alright?"  
She leaned against his chest, hearing his heart beat as fast as hers was. "I guess so." She let out a purr when D's hand brushed against her cheek, and welcomed his lips when they touched hers. Their kiss was short- lived, however, when D pulled back and helped her stand. Sora let out a groan of disappointment, but uttered no other protest.  
"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing in the room. Sora could have sworn she heard footsteps descending stairs in the distance, but she couldn't be sure, not until she heard the trademark grinding of a stone door as it opened.  
A woman, not young in age but not old at the same time, came into the room, her soft blue eyes resting on the both of them. Her dark honey colored hair was wind whipped, but somehow she made the style look good.  
"Morian," she said, with the slightest hint of an Irish or Scottish accent in her voice, but Sora couldn't tell. Her lips curved into a smile. "I was hopin' ye'd come when I suggested yer help."  
So this woman was the one who had sent Nabooru for them. Sora looked at the woman's build, which was slightly muscular, and not too stocky. Remembering what Enya had told her, Sora knew that the woman was a Sheikah, and obviously the sage of this temple.  
"Anything for an old friend, milady," D replied, his voice sounding warm and kind. Sora blinked a couple of times, confused, and stood on her tiptoes to whisper into his ear. "Who's the old broad?"  
"Wrong question," she heard the parasite whisper back to her. D walked towards the sage, and Sora followed. She looked at Sora, then at D.  
"Ye neva told me ye had an apprentice, Morian. Who is this young lass?"  
D pulled away from Sora to stand to the side of both of them. "My fiancée. Sora, this is Shurai, the Wind Sage of Hyrule. Shurai, Sora."  
Shurai nodded her head in greeting, and Sora did the same thing, and looked to D as he gave her a warm smile. She quirked an eyebrow at his look, wondering what it was about. "What? What is it?"  
"Sora. and Shurai. This may come as a shock to both of you, but." D froze for a moment, looking at both of them.  
"Sora, Shurai is your mother."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Markus slipped into the room, trying not to let much light in. Only only a few candles lighted the room, and the figure of a young man sat in the corner.  
He walked to him and knelt down, taking him into his arms. "Hey. how you been?"  
"Miserable. I hate being cooped up during the day," Menroc replied, his tone somewhere between a whine and an angry growl, and despite how old he looked, his voice was a little high and feminine.  
Markus smiled, pulling back the curtain of black hair that covered Menroc's face; he still looked like a seventeen-year-old boy, the only way you could feel doubt in the age was his pale face and, whenever a rare occasion came that he smiled, the fangs in his mouth. "You won't believe who's here."  
"Try me."  
"Our old Dunpeal friends, D and Sora."  
Menroc sat up straight, allowing Markus to slip behind him and pull him into his lap. He leaned back, resting his head on Markus's chest. "Oh, I could believe it alright, Pet. where are they?"  
"They went to the Wind Temple," the Incubus replied, tilting his head forward to kiss Menroc's temple. Menroc smiled, reaching back with his hand to caress Markus's cheek as he continued to speak. "The Gerudo Priestess Enya and her young cousin are also with them, but they're at the Shadow Temple right now, helping Impa. They were wanting to know if you and I could join up with them as well."  
"You can. you know I'm not a fighter."  
Markus sighed, kissing his lover's neck lovingly, then nuzzling with his nose the spot behind Menroc's ear. "I don't want to do anything without you by my side, Menny." the statement itself sounded like an over-used cliché, but Markus meant every word he said to Menroc. While anyone else would have seen their love as sinful, and even go so far as to attack them for it, Markus wasn't ashamed of the fact that he was a bisexual, and he didn't think Menroc was ashamed either, although he never showed it.  
"You wanna go out tonight?" Markus asked. Menroc shrugged. "I guess. where?"  
The demon shrugged. "I don't know. maybe to a nightclub for a couple hours. You really look like you need something to clear your mind."  
"Sure, why not. When are your 'friends' due back?"  
"I don't know. with Ax and Enya, they might stay with Impa a few more hours. With D and Sora, the Wind Temple's a good ten miles away from here, and they left their horses here. It will take them awhile to get back."  
"If they don't use any powers for speed," Menroc added. Markus nodded.  
"They usually don't."  
"How long until sundown?" the vampire asked, anxious to get out of this damned room. Markus let out a soft chuckle, and stood, walking to a window and peeking out of it, only a bit of light spilling into the room. Markus closed the curtain and leaned against the wall. "Maybe four hours at best."  
Menroc stood, and unconsciously dusted off his pants, the same blue jeans he wore when he came back to Hyrule. What he would give to wear Hylian clothing again. a lot more comfortable than the crap Sora had been used to. He had bought a cloak at a nearby store so he could walk short distances in the sunlight, with the hood covering his face so much that any skin that was exposed, but covered by shadow, only felt like it was sunburned. Well, the feeling from what he remembered being sun burnt as a mortal. He envied Markus sometimes; he was a demon, but he could walk in the sunlight.  
No one could tell which of the couple was more dangerous; Menroc with his fangs and heightened senses and superhuman strength that could track down anyone and kill them by draining their blood, or Markus, with Incubus powers so strong that he didn't have to have intercourse with anyone to steal their soul. He could simply pose a display of affection, such as a hug or kiss, or even a caress, and they would drop dead, their body completely soulless. He was the only Incubus of his kind that could do that, and the only one, well the only living one of both Incubi and Succubi that could change their form into either a man or a woman. Vivian, his wife, the first one he had Turned, could do that, but he killed her before she could evolve enough to steal souls by affection.  
"Do you need to feed, darling? You look worn out," Markus said, a concerned look on his face, walking over to the boy and gently holding him. Menroc's arms went around Markus's neck, and he gave a single nod, then a shrug. "Don't really need to, but always want to."  
Markus took Menroc's chin in his hand and tilted his face up to kiss him. Menroc weakly returned it before kissing his chin, then his jaw line, feathery kisses leading him to the Incubus's throat. Menroc kissed the soft skin once as Markus drew his hair away from his neck, then licked, feeling his fangs itch to pierce. He gave a quick but gentle bite, barely hearing Markus as he drew in a hissing breath. Menroc's lips closed around the area of the wound, not letting any blood spill.  
He let out an animalistic growl as Markus slowly pulled him back, and Menroc lashed his tongue out to catch the remaining droplets. The wound healed almost instantly before his eyes, but he quickly subdued his hunger, telling himself that he was sated.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Sora and Shurai just stared at each other, speechless. Shurai was. Sora's mother? Her mother was still alive?  
Shurai's gaze drifted to Sora's left eye, which was covered over with windswept red hair. She slowly stepped forward, reaching out and pushing it away, a shocked gasp creeping from her throat when she saw the scar. "Oh, sweet Nayru, it is ye."  
Tears flooded Sora's eyes and she practically leaped forward, tightly hugging her long lost mother. Shurai returned the embrace without a second thought. Questions ran through Sora's mind. Why did Shurai abandon her? Why did D know about Shurai and not tell her? So many questions, but right now, Sora was happier than anything she'd ever been happy about. She was with her mother, after all these years of not even knowing if she was dead or alive.  
They reluctantly pulled back after what seemed like an eternity, but Shurai clung to Sora's shoulders. "I neva thought I'd see ye again."  
"I never thought I'd see you at all," Sora said, choking out a laugh. She turned to D, breaking away from Shurai and embraced him, kissing his cheek and lips more times than she could count.  
"Oh, God, D, thank you so much!" she cried. She then playfully slapped him, grinning. "That's for not telling me about her or bringing me here earlier. wait." she pulled back and looked at Shurai. "How did D know that you're my mother?"  
"I told you I've been here before." D told her, his voice barely audible through the howling wind outside.  
"When I had t' give ye up," Shurai began, "Morian was th' one who spirited ye away an' out o' Hyrule."  
Sora's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked up at her fiancé, unable to believe what Shurai had just said. "D.?"  
"She's right," D said, "When I left Hyrule, I took you with me and gave you to the home you grew up in."  
"And now I'm his fiancée. damn, talk about coincidence," Sora mused aloud.  
"I didn't expect you to be in Romania when I saw you again."  
Shurai laughed, wiping away a tear, and ushering them to the door she came from. "Well, come on into th' temple! Ye donna want t' be here stuck in th' entry hall, do ye?"  
  
*  
  
When they got to the second floor of the temple, the wind wasn't as loud. The walls were thicker, and magic barriers served as windows rather than glass. This room seemed like a sitting room, with floor cushions, a small, coffee-table-like object in the middle.  
"You actually live in the temple?" Sora asked. Shurai nodded.  
"Aye. Th' place is fallin' apart; I have t' be here t' take care o' it, don't I?" she said, sitting on a floor cushion and gesturing for D and Sora to sit as well. Sora took up on the offer, while D kindly turned it down, preferring to stand and setting his fedora on a wall hook.  
"So," Shurai began, "What brings ye two 'ere t' th' Wind Temple?"  
"Just wanted to check up on you," D answered. "With the current situation and all-"  
"Auc, Morian, ye know I've been strong. Believe me, this temple is th' safest o' all th' temples in Hyrule. Lilu canna get in 'ere unless she gets 'er body back."  
That made both Sora and D feel a lot relieved. Still, D had a worried look on his face. "Shurai, no one knows where Lilu is right now, or who she's possessed. She could be anyone, and you're a Sheikah. If you take one step out of the sanctity of the temple-"  
"I told ye I'll be fine 'ere. I won't be goin' anywhere fer some time except fer th' ceremony."  
"Ceremony.?" Sora asked.  
"Th' one where th' Triforce o' Power chooses its new owner. All th' sages 'ave t' be there. An' I mean every sage."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Markus and Menroc stayed in the booth in the darkest corner of the Hylian Pub, mostly just talking between small sips of wine. They had gone out early, and Menroc brought his cloak. The way he wore it around his body made him look like a woman, something he wasn't unfamiliar with. It only added to the feeling that he was just Markus's 'girlfriend' that he brought in with him.  
The darkness made Markus's ice blue eyes glow just barely, enough to make anyone that looked at him shiver at turn away.  
Menroc's head was on Markus's collarbone, and it made Markus feel uncomfortable. It wasn't that he didn't like it, but he hadn't fed in a couple of weeks. His hold on Menroc froze, not holding him tighter or lightly brushing a thumb along the vampire's arm, afraid that his Incubus powers would emerge from nowhere and kill his lover. The boy looked up at him, his eyes narrowed in concern. "What's wrong?"  
Markus slid away from him, giving him a light kiss of apology. "I have to feed. I can't help it. Stay here, alright?"  
He nodded, and Markus kissed him again, pulling back before he got too carried away. His back ached as his wings wanted to just come out, let his eyes glow and his powers take over. His breathing came out in shaky rasps, a cold sweat was running down his forehead, and he was vaguely aware that he was halfway running through the pub, heading for the exit. His pale hands fumbled with the knob, swinging it open and coming outside into the night. He looked back at the pub, to the window he and Menroc were sitting by. Menroc was staring at him, but turned away, drawing the hood of his cloak over his face.  
His knees were buckling; he couldn't stand still. He moved to the alleyway near the pub, leaning against the wall of a brick building, slowly sinking down. He calmed the moment he felt a nearby presence.  
Looking to the side, Markus saw a young woman standing at the alleyway entrance, her black hair pulled back into a braid. She looked at him, and called out, "Hey! You alright?"  
Markus let out a weak smile, his powers calming. Standing, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
She approached him as he used his charm to will her towards him. "You sure? Should I get you a potion or something?"  
"No, really, I'm fine. Just nausea, that's all."  
Reaching a little deeper, Markus willed the girl to say her name. "Alright, then. my name's Denise."  
"Markus," the Incubus said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. A light blush rose to her cheeks, and she felt herself leaning closer to him. Markus's arms wrapped around her, and she felt her eyes close as his lips touched hers.  
He let himself loose, and his grip tightened on Denise, his eyes flying open, glowing that bright ice blue. Within seconds, Denise fell limp in his arms, her body free of her soul. Markus gently held her, then laid her down, propped against the wall. Spotting a bottle of wine with just a few mouthfuls in it, Markus grabbed it and poured a little of it into her mouth, then set the bottle in her hand. It would look like nothing more than that she just drank herself to death.  
He walked back to the pub, feeling a lot better. Markus paid no attention to the man that brushed against his shoulder angrily, as if he were hurrying somewhere. Menroc was still at the booth when he came back, and gave a light smile to see Markus all right. "Better?"  
"Much," he said, returning the smile. He sat next to him and took a sip of the wine, which had started to go warm by now. "Anything happen while I was out?"  
Menroc shrugged, holding the goblet between both of his hands. "Not really. Some guy really left in a hurry a couple minutes after you did, but that's all." He set the goblet down and leaned back, sighing heavily for no apparent reason. Markus slipped an arm around his shoulders, and was about to close his eyes when something caught his vision in the corner of his eye.  
A young girl moved along the crowd, and Markus's eyes widened in horror at the black braid hanging limp on her back.  
It was Denise.  
Markus slapped down a few rupees on the table and grabbed Menroc. "We have to go."  
"What?"  
"Now."  
Menroc pulled his arm away from Markus's grasp when he stood. "Markus, what is it?"  
He didn't know how to explain. "That girl I fed on. she's back."  
"Huh?" Menroc was confused. Why did this mean they had to leave? "So you left a little of her soul in her. Big deal."  
"No! She was dead when I left her! I took all of her soul! I never leave anything behind!"  
Markus leaned forward and whispered into Menroc's ear, "I think it's Lilu."  
Menroc just stared at him and held back a laugh. "Pet, you're overreacting. Maybe she just had a twin."  
He shook his head. "No. It's her. Menroc, please."  
Menroc sighed, and headed for the exit with Markus. "Alright, fine. I still say you're just paranoid."  
"Better paranoid than dead," Markus muttered, pushing the door open and holding it until Menroc came out. Menroc began to walk back to the inn when he passed by the alleyway that Markus had met Denise in and obviously killed her in.  
"Mark."  
Markus turned to him. "What?" he asked as he walked towards him.  
"Everything I said at the pub? I take it back." Menroc extended a hand, pointing at something on the ground. Markus walked over to it and tapped it with the toe of his boot, then used his heel to kick the body face-up.  
Both he and Menroc nearly screamed.  
"That's the guy that left the pub in a big hurry." Menroc whispered. Markus knew him too; he was the man that he bumped against on his way back. He was dead, his face contorted in a horrific, painful scream, and his body looked like it had been dead and rotting for a couple of days, while just a minute ago, he looked healthy and normal.  
That was Lilu.  
"Menroc," Markus began, "Go to the Shadow Temple. Tell Impa. I can go to the Wind Temple."  
Normally, Menroc didn't take orders, but right now, they were dealing with a goddamn Goddess. He backed up out of the alley and started to run towards the Kakariko Graveyard. If he could just climb the wall that stood between the graveyard and the temple-!  
Menroc faintly heard the ruffling of clothing as someone fell, and soon he was on the ground, someone standing firmly on his shoulder blades. He held back a scream as heels dug into his spine and a growl came from his throat when his attacker bent down and grabbed his neck.  
Now feeling threatened, Menroc whipped around, his sudden movement catching the woman off guard. Not even bothering to look at her, Menroc's mouth instinctively went for her throat.  
A loud 'snap' was heard as Menroc's fangs bit down on air and Lilu jumped back. Now Menroc had a chance to look her over; she had the long black talons like the demonic vampires did, but no fangs. She wasn't powerful enough yet. Menroc didn't have any talons, and all he usually did when fighting was head for the throat and that was it; they were dead after that, or, if not, got the hell out of there.  
Suddenly a flash of silver, white, and dark blue blanketed Lilu as Markus pounced on her, his wings out. Before Lilu pushed him away, Markus slashed her collarbone with the talon of his right wing. A screech echoed through the village as she cried out in pain, clasping a hand to the wound and snarling. How long had it been since she had felt pain?  
Markus easily landed on his feet, but into a stance that after he touched the ground he immediately shot at her again, his speed nearly blinding Lilu. Dammit, she had just gotten a new body! She couldn't handle this!  
Menroc watched the ordeal, not sure on what to do. Help, watch, or go get help? Surely Lilu was baffled that two demons were actually attacking her rather than trying to side with her.  
A clawed hand swiped at Markus, and he reeled back. That gave Lilu the chance to bolt. She leapt up onto the roof of the pub and then from roof to roof, eventually out of sight. Menroc watched her leave to make sure she didn't come back, then ran to Markus. "Did she hurt you?"  
Markus pulled back the side of his jacket to reveal four deep claw slashes on his chest, and a faint fifth one from Lilu's thumb. He drew in a hissing breath as he moved. "This'll take awhile to heal... better not get infected, dammit." Menroc offered for Markus to lean on him, but the Incubus turned the offer down, preferring not to stretch the muscle in any way.  
"What now?" he asked.  
Markus looked in the direction of the Kakariko Graveyard. "We have to tell Impa that Lilu's nearby."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"You WHAT?!"  
Menroc grimaced as Enya threw Markus across the antechamber of the Shadow Temple, the demon's body firmly hitting the stone. He just sat on the floor cushion, knowing Enya would kick his ass if he tried to help his lover.  
"That's gotta hurt." Ax said, giving a low whistle as he sat in the cushion next to Menroc. The Hylian shrugged. "He's used to it."  
Enya angrily trudged over to Markus, picking him up by the collar of his sleeveless jacket and pulled him up, slamming him up against the wall, easily lifting him off of the ground. "You GAVE Lilu a BODY?"  
"Enya, relax," Impa said calmly. "At least we know what she looks like fer now."  
"Yeah, until she finds another body," Enya said with a scoff, not keeping her eyes off of Markus. "I knew you were gonna be trouble."  
Impa walked over to Enya and put a hand on her arm. "Lass, come on, he's wounded. We need t' tend t' his wounds."  
"Oh, by the time I'm done with him, he'll have wished that Lilu didn't run away."  
She released Markus, and he grunted as he hit the floor abruptly. One of Markus's wings was limp, broken when Enya first attacked him. Minor fracture. Heal overnight. He stood with the Sheikah Sage's help and sat on a cushion.  
He took off his jacket as Impa got out a bandage and potion. Enya looked over at Menroc. "Who's this guy? Your partner in crime?"  
"My lover," Markus said firmly, as if Enya were looking at him as a potential mate and he was protecting him.  
Enya blinked in disbelief and stared at Markus blankly. "You're gay?"  
"I'm not gay, I'm bi." A growl came from Markus's throat as he said that, "There's a difference. You got a problem?"  
She shrugged. "No, I'm fine with it. Look, I live in a community that's full of nothing but women and currently only two men. And before you ask, the answer is no. I'm straight as an arrow."  
"Wasn't gonna ask," Markus replied.  
Impa wasn't listening to the conversation and handed Markus a blue potion. "Drink that."  
He did so, trying not to gag on it. Impa had said it was made with forest mushrooms. ugh. He set the bottle down after he was done and let Impa wrap the wounds.  
"How long will it take you to heal?" Ax asked. Markus looked down at the bandage as Impa finished it and moved his arm a little to make sure it wouldn't do anything.  
"I give it a week, tops, but maybe two or three days if I don't do anything."  
"It'll be a week," Menroc said bluntly. Enya nodded in agreement.  
Impa stood and leaned back against a wall. "Where did ye see Lilu?"  
Markus shifted to get comfortable, using an arm to hold up his broken wing as it healed. "Just outside of the pub in Kakariko. She took the body that I left. I told you, I had to feed, and I couldn't think of any other way to destroy the evidence without drawing attention."  
"Why'd you have to kill an innocent Hylian?" Enya asked, her eyes narrowing angrily.  
"Either her or one of our precious team members. If I hold it off for too long, I go insane and I kill everyone I see."  
"It's true," Menroc said quickly before anyone else could speak, "I've seen it, and it's not pretty."  
Ax sat there for a moment, pondering. He looked up at Markus. "Hey, Markus? How exactly do you steal souls?"  
"Why do you ask?"  
The boy shrugged, pulling the sleeves of his Gerudo uniform over his arms and picking at a frayed string. "No big reason, just wondering."  
Everyone but Menroc directed their attention towards the Incubus, expecting a reply, as if they all had some sort of secret about him. He finally spoke, "Either the old-fashioned way that most of my children use, but I prefer the way that I do it, which is through any display of affection. Hug, kiss, you name the affection, I can take their soul through it, but I have to be physically touching them."  
"Quite a talent, lad," Impa said, grimacing. A grin lit Ax's features. "So you can help us."  
"Huh?"  
Enya let out a chuckle. "I got a message from Zelda yesterday saying that the two Dunpeal Bounty Hunters we hired said they knew a soul- devouring demon that could be capable of pulling Lilu's spirit into the open."  
"So you're going to use Markus as your guinea pig and have him bring out Lilu, then banish her soul?" Menroc asked. Enya nodded.  
Markus smirked and spoke before anyone else could, gazing in Enya's direction. "You're on." 


End file.
